So, this weekend I have the opportunity to get involved in an artistic project that doesn’t involve music.

I get to act! 🙂

Writer C.L. Manion is going to shoot her first short film this weekend, and I get to play one of the characters in this film.

The film is called “Horoscope.” The logline for the film is the following: “On the advice of a horoscope, a man delivers an odd gift to his girlfriend.” Are you intrigued? You should be! 🙂

C.L. Manion is a very talented writer. I was very fortunate to have edited one of her transcripts for a feature length film, and it was excellent! (Once it hits Hollywood, I will be sure to tell you what the name of that film is 😉 )

Him: Well, I mean, look at ’em. You got this one here, she’s clearly trouble. And Mr. WhatsHisName has got a stick so far up his ass —

Her: No!

Him: No? You don’t think Mr. BackhandCompliment is asking for every bit of sass he gets from Little Miss Troublemaker over here?

Her: That’s why I like them…But it’s not like that exactly… You don’t understand.

Him: So explain it to me.

Her: Take these two for example. They love each other – clearly – but nobody wants to be the first one to say anything because that sucks, y’know? Terrifying. So they have to play this whole game – like social chess – and it’s absolutely lovely because they’re probably a couple of the most well-spoken people on the face of the planet.

Him: Lovely?

Her: Yeah.

Him: Since when do you use the word ‘lovely’?

Her: I use that word!

Him: So you like these people because they’re emotionally constipated?

Her: That’s not what I meant and you know it!

Him: No, ok. So, you like them because of all of the fancy word play and romanticism.

Her: And the costumes. Don’t forget the costumes.

Him: Right. And costumes.

Her: And the fantastic locations.

Him: Locations… I thought you said it was about characters.

Her: It is.

Him: Really?

Her: In my mind it would be absolutely perfect if they were real people. We’d all be friends, y’know? We’d do brunch.

What is it about writing at certain times of day? Very first thing in the morning, or after the sun starts to sink – that works best for me. Any time other than that – a lazy weekend at home, bathed in cheery sunlight – and I’m lost.

Today – all day – I’ve been beating my brains out trying to get something down. I need to, too. I’ve several large projects I’m working on, and increasingly less time to work on them. Around three o’clock I was on the verge of an existential crisis, wondering whether or not I had any business calling myself a writer, as I could not come up with a thing. Gloom, doom, and three cups of bitter tea.

Then – or rather, now – the sun started dipping toward goodnight and the words are running as fast as I can type them. The oddest thing. Reminds me of a quote from Agnès Varda.

She was being interviewed for the documentary “Great Directors”, and talking about the nature of creativity. Varda expressed similar concerns – the feeling that one day the creativity might dry up, and that’s it, no more. But then she smiled and said, “An apple tree is supposed to make apples.”